Vehicle

2003 Ford Escort ZX2 Deluxe 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I bought this car in Dec 2011 (w/ only 72.8k miles on it) for my son in college. Almost 4 years and25.5k miles later, I learned a valuable lesson in used-car buying: a older, low-mileage car is not always a good deal. It cost a ton to maintain this car - I think I've replaced everything once,some things twice (front brakes, portions of exhaust system). The upstate NY winters (no car washing =lots of rust damage) & rough roads have aged this car tremendously. However, lots of items that shouldn'thave failed, did - CD player (it won't play ANY CDs), speedo, odometer, blower motor resistor.My son's hard driving, especially on some bad country roads, and not taking good care of it was amajor contributing factor to its rapid decline. However, honestly, I think the previous owner simply sold this car at the right time.

Best Features:The gas mileage is fantastic! 32-36 MPG on most of my trips. I own an '07 Mustang GT, and this car,though it doesn't compare, is still fun to drive. Even though the '03 Foci I owned were better-builtand performing cars, I prefer the ZX2 styling. Pretty roomy for me, a 250 lb guy. Stereo system soundsOK, for a lower-end vehicle. My son didn't care for A/C (which is good, 'cause it broke in 2014), but he loved driving with the moonroof wide open.

Worst Features:Auto tranny downshifts very hard & violently into 1st gear when you stomp on the gas - but thecar does move fairly quickly. In the northern rust belt, this car abhors water (and the damage itdoes) more than the Wicked Witch of the West. Definitely needs a driver's arm rest. I highlyrecommend snow tires for winter driving - it's snow/ice traction is poor.

Update:Took the vehicle to the auto graveyard day after Thanksgiving 2015, with just under 100k on it.The tranny was leaking oil when driven in Reverse, and it just wasn't worth fixing. RIP.

Vehicle

2003 Ford Escort ZX2 Deluxe 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I purchased my ZX2 new because I needed a car and this one fit my budget at the time. I had intended on keeping it 2 to 3 years and then trading up. Needless to say that was quite some time ago and I have no plans on getting rid of it yet. It is dependable, economical, and fun to drive. I drive in the mountains and the 5 speed manual transmission is a real kick. We go over a mountain pass to Yellowstone Park and the ZX2 handles it well enough to have the Harleys pull over to let me pass. I have done minimal repairs to it and do not expect that to change.

Vehicle

2003 Ford Escort ZX2 Deluxe 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Bought this car new (13 miles) and drove it 143,000+ miles. I love this car. Got standard transmision that makes it even more fun to drive. Vibrations from the motor can be rough in idle, but it's not too bad. Gets 34 MPG in stop and go traffic. Very comfortable inside and sporty outside. Never had a machanical problem with it, and it's been very dependable. The ride is very smooth even after all those miles. Plan to drive it until the wheels fall off! It is MY car! **Sorry for any misspellings**

Best Features

Worst Features

The model is discontenued? Bring it back! The window over the speedometer rattles when the car is warming up. Car can eat tires, and gets misaligned easy, needs constent alignment. CD Player won't play CD-R media (sound great with FM, XM (via FM Transmitter) or Music CDs. All these are minor issues really.

Vehicle

2003 Ford Escort ZX2 Premium 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I drive on average 600 miles a week, so I've put this car through its paces. I love it. It gets great gas mileage, looks great, runs like a dream. Some people complain about the vibration or the engine volume; but I really don't notice it. My only complaints are that with a 2003 it's hard to find replacement parts if your girlfriend puts it in the ditch trying to drive in six inches of snow.

Vehicle

2003 Ford Escort ZX2 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I just got this car as a graduation gift and it definitely was not my choice car, but anyways it drives really well and its fun to drive. It is as basic as a car can get, no power anything, no cruise control, etc. I feel like it will last me so many more years, i feel safe in this car. The only major complaint is how hard it vibrates the entire car when idling. So although it doesn't have a lot of fun gadgets, it's reliable and a good first car.